[Lilsherpa]

3 July 2019 at 6:41:58 #822619

I am traveling to Interlaken via Milan on July 19. I then have about 6 days and would like to do a hut to hut trip if possible. I have a sleeping bag and pad. Which huts and trails link together?

Thank you for your help!

cheers – Mel

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[Arno]

3 July 2019 at 12:21:55 #916802

Hi Mel,

Welcome to MySwissAlps! This map shows the trails and the huts: map.wanderland.ch/?lang=en&bgLayer=pk&log o=yes&season=summer&re solution=20&E=2629463& N=1160431&layers=Mount ainhut%2CWanderland. Note that you will need to reserve the huts in advance. A sleeping bag won’t be needed I guess.

[Lilsherpa]

13 July 2019 at 19:54:09 #916803

Thank you for your response. I think a hut trip will have to happen another time. I’ll do lots of long day trips. Maybe I can get at least night in a hut. I have a pad and sleeping bag. I’ve had a hard time planning the route from just a phone.

[Removed user]

14 July 2019 at 14:17:09 #916804

Hello Mel,

For suggestions of shorter hikes please use below link. You can search by region and some other criteria.
– http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king

Best and get back to us anytime for further input.

Steph

[Slowpoke]

14 July 2019 at 17:56:57 #916805

Hi Lilsherpa –

It might be short notice to make reservations now, anyway. Some huts book out well ahead of time.

Switzerland Mobility- Hiking ……is quite useful, as you can see from the map overlay that Arno provided.

This leads you to named and numbered routes, such as national routes, etc. –

http://www.schweizmobil.ch/en /hiking-in-switzerland.html:

For clear demarcation of the trail difficulties for all marked trails (die Wanderwege), I also use SwissTopo:

map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=swisstopo&lang=e n&bgLayer=ch.swisstopo .pixelkarte-farbe&layers=ch.swisst opo.swisstlm3d-wanderwege&X=205432.73 &Y=677886.37&zoom=4

with this explanation of rail color codes:

http://www.schweizmobil.ch/en /hiking-in-switzerland/more-wl/hiking-trail-network-and-signalization.html

Slowpoke

[Arno]

15 July 2019 at 9:20:13 #916806

Hi Mel,

There are still (very detailed) paper maps: http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/maps. You don’t have to rely on your phone only.

[Slowpoke]

15 July 2019 at 12:20:21 #916807

I any difficult or dangerous terrain, I make it a point to carry the 1:25,000 maps, or the new, smaller scale Wanderkarten, which, I recall are at 1:30,000 or 1:33,000.

For hiking in the Mittelland or easy terrain, I use the 1:50,000 Wanderkarten. Often, I don’t need them, so they might be in my back pack….in an outside pocket. 😉

The paper maps, especially the Wanderkarten, give you an overview of the surroundings and the overall route that is hard to get from the small screen. So, when you get to a trail junction that has signs pointing in two different directions but both naming your destination, it is easier to figure out which one is the steepest. 😉

I do have the map apps on my phone, too, since they are free, and useful.

Almost anywhere in Switzerland, the convenience stores carry the topos for the nearby region. The bookstores, of which there are very few these days, carry full sets.

I make it a point to stop at Barth Bücherie in Zürich main station when I arrive to pick up any paper maps that I need and don’t have in my files at home.

http://www.barthbuch.ch/

This link describes the different maps from the Federal Land Office:

shop.swisstopo.admin.c h/en/products/maps

Slowpoke

[Lilsherpa]

15 July 2019 at 20:08:05 #916808

Thank you for the information. I will checking it maps when I arrive. Cheers Mel

[Lilsherpa]

15 July 2019 at 20:13:57 #916809

Hi Arno,

Are there maps available in Interlaken? Thank you for your help.

Mel

[Lilsherpa]

15 July 2019 at 20:15:36 #916810

The maps are amazing and arenhelpingg get a better idea of which huts are where and distances between places. Thank you so much!

[Slowpoke]

15 July 2019 at 21:53:42 #916811

<<“Are there maps available in Interlaken? Thank you for your help. “>>

It’s a good bet that you’ll find them at one of these bookstores. You can look at their websites; possibly they will mention maps.

en.yelp.ch/search?cflt=bookstores&find_l oc=Interlaken%2C+Bern

Slowpoke

[Snowman]

16 July 2019 at 10:12:43 #916812

Hi Lilsherpa!

I’m probably late with my advice, but anyway.

A strictly hut-to-hut kike from Interlaken to Zermatt is, no doubt, possible, but would take a lot of time. You have to cross the Bernese range of the Alps, then the Rhone Valley (at the bottom of which there are cities and hotels, but no huts).

So the reasonable thing is to take shortcuts. Use the map link suggested by Arno in post #2 of thread. Go to Mürren by train and start the hike there.

Day 1 Mürren – Griesalp via Sefinenfurgge Pass. Night at Friends of Nature hut Gorneren. There are other possibilities, such as the Rotstockhütte if you want Day 1 to be a short hiking day.

Day 2 Griesalp – Kandersteg. Night at a hotel. From there I suggest you take the train to Hohtann on the Wallis side of the Bernese Alps. Alternatively, you could hike from Kandersteg to the Lötschenpasshütte, but as you can see on the map, the continuation from there to further south is long and in my opinion not so exciting. But possible, then add two days.

Day 3 Hohtann – Ausserberg. I am not aware of any hut or hotel at Hohtann, so I suggest you spend the night at Kandersteg and take a train to Hohtann (one train every hour). Hike the scenic “Südrampe Trail” to Ausserberg, and spend the night there or go on to Randa in the Zermatt Valley by train via Visp. Crossing the Rhone Valley and hiking up the lower part of St-Niklaus Valley is from a hiker point of view not so interesting.

Day 4 Randa – Europahütte. You’ll see warning signs on the map, due to landslides some trails are currently closed, but there is access from Randa to Europahütte.

Day 5 Europahütte – Zermatt. Again, the main trail is closed, but there is an alternative trail, it seems.

In Swiss alpine huts, you normally sleep on a mattress and blankets are available. So you need a cloth (silk?) sleeping bag. A thermo sleeping bag and a pad are not necessary. Book in advance. You can normally get dinner, breakfast, and tea for your water bottle, but cannot buy picknick food so have all you need in advance. There are grocery stores in Mürren, Kandersteg, Ausserberg, Randa. In huts you should have cash with you. My advice is don’t do this alone, and if the weather is bad you should really follow that advice!

Take the minimum luggage with you and ship the rest from Interlaken to Zermatt, either by post to your hotel in Zermatt, or, rather, from station to station by the railways (you may need to have a ticket, but your railpass should be probably good enough).

Sorry again if I am late with that, but I’m sure you’ll have an exciting time anyway!

[Lilsherpa]

19 July 2019 at 13:11:37 #916813

Thank you for the detail itinerary. I will be starting from Lauterbrunnen 21/7. Tonight I stay in Interlaken to get a map and acquainted with the area. I will be conservative since I am traveling alone. I am an experienced backpacker, but do not have any technical gear with me. I do have a pad and sleeping bag.

I do hope to at least get one night in a hut, I know it’s last minute. I will just have to return next year ;).

Mel

[Slowpoke]

19 July 2019 at 13:35:56 #916814

<<“but do not have any technical gear with me.”>>

You can rent some basic gear at Intersport in various towns.

Slowpoke